Ok, an uncalled for little rant, but, am I the only one who thinks that the line up for the main stage of the Ozzfest is like, a bit predictable. I mean, Fear Factory, Slayer, Pantera and Sepultura (Ok, Soulfly, but if you see where I'm coming from, you'll get my point.) It's the same old bands all the time. Ozzy and Fear Factory. Pantera and Cavalera. Trendkill? Surely not. But there again, a band like Voivod, just as heavy, just as inventive and off the wall, why not them. Not selling enough? Not TRENDY enough!

How about Tool, Girls Against Boys, Sick of it All. Something most people have heard OF but not heard anything BY. Use the festival to it's full potential, not as a club for the clique. Isn't it a great chance to expose bands to people who may not have heard them before, and may well like them. But no, cater for the conservative market. Hell, some people may even have liked to see Pearl Jam.

But maybe that's off towards a Lollapalooza style thing, and this is about METAL. Hmm, wonder how many of the bands on the bill then would call themselves METAL, and not punk metal, or hardcore or some other ever so slight variation on the theme. Basically, the idea of just trying to cater towards a blinkered concept is bollocks. If the bands I mentioned don't really fit in with the scheme of things, then it's a sad day, and we haven't progressed in our tolerance and openmindedness nearly as far as some would like to belive in these 'enlightened' days. Never seen them live, but wouldn't it be cool to show how things have changed by having The Prodigy do a slot. A chance to convince, or otherwise, once and for all those sceptics. A chance for the scene to show how far it claims to have progressed. An acceptance that times have changed, and we should be able to get along, instead of living in claustrophobic egos and restricted outlooks.

Sure, I'll probably go, despite saying in the last issue that I would'nt pay major money to see Sabbath again. But this is a festival right! But it makes you wonder at either the state of the scene, or the lack of imagination in putting the bill together. And personally, I don't think the scene is in desperate trouble at the moment. So Kerrang! gives you the chance to pick one UK band. Wow. Hallelujah. So who will it be. Cynical Smile, King Prawn, dBh, Iron Monkey, Medulla Nocte, Gorilla, Pulkas, Dub War. Doubtful. Hope Pitchshifter get it, as they probably stand more chance than all the other bands I mentioned.

Get the point, plenty of good stuff to expose people to. How about dragging System of a Down over from the States. At least we get Neurosis and Human Waste Project (and I hope both bands blow the rest of the bill into oblivion). But like Entombed, no disrespect, but they were here 3 or 4 times last year.

It's great because it's a festival, but it's a little unimaginative and staid if you ask me. Which you didn't, but I'm saying it anyway. It's about selling tickets at the end of the day isn't it. Money. Not the music as so many claim. Ah well, I'm sure everyone will still go fucking crazy.

Oh yeah, Feb 26 when I wrote this. Just for the record. So you know it was an early reaction, not a late development.